Rail-cleaning attachment for cars



(No Model.)

P. WARDMAN. RAIL CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR CARS.

No. 476,909. Patented June 14, 1892.

WJJJVESSZ'S W Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PALMER TVARDMAN, OF EAST SAGINATV, MICHIGAN.

RAIL-CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR CARS.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,909, dated June 14,1892. Application filed January 12, 1892. Serial No. 417,792. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PALMER ARDMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinRail-OleaningAttachments for Cars; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates generally to railway track sweepers or cleaners andparticularly to improvements in that class thereof in which the cleaningattachments are employed in connection with street-cars propelled byelectromotors, in which the car-Wheel axles and intermediate connectionsimpart rotation to the rail-cleaning brushes when lowered, in-

which said brushes can be lowered to and raised from the rails byconnections leading to the platforms of cars, and in which when solowered they are automatically caused to revolve by the connectionsintermediate thereof and the car-wheel axles; and my invention consistsin the peculiarities of construction and arrangement or combination ofparts hereinafter fully disclosed in the description, claims, anddrawings.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an improvedrail-clez'tning attachment for railway-cars generally, but which isespecially intended and adapted for employment in connection withelectricallypropelled street-cars, for which it is especially necessarythat the rails be kept clear of ice, snow, and dirt, which prevent thewheels from making firm contact with the rails or from effecting thefriction thereon that is necessary for utilizing the entire power of theelectromotor for propelling the cars; second, to provide improvedconnecting mechanism intermediate of the wheel-axle and the brushes,whereby when the latter are raised from the rails said mechanism isautomatically thrown and held out of gear with said wheel-axle andwhereby when said connecting mechanism is released from its elevatedposition the brushes will descend by gravity and be automatically gearedwith said wheel-axle and revolved upon the rails, and, third, to provideimproved combinations of devices which are accessorial to the obtainmentof these ends and tend to overcome the objections to the constructionand operation of existing attachments of this char acter. These objectsare accomplished by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which the samereference-numerals indicate the same or correponding parts and features,and in which Figure 1 represents a broken top plan view of the lowerportion of a street-ear provided with my improved rail-cleaningattachment, the bottom and platform being omitted for clearness ofillustration of the parts beneath; Fig. 2, a longitudinal verticalsection of the same, the section being taken on the dotted line no as ofFig. 1 and along the bottom and platform of the car; Fig. 3, a front endelevation of the same, and Fig. 4 a detail (partly broken and sectional)view of parts herein after fully described.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the track-rails, 2 thecar-wheels, 3 their axle, 4 the lower portion of the car-supportingframe, 5 the bottom and platform of the car, and 6 the frame forsupporting the electromotor and its belongings, all being of anyordinary or suitable construction and arrangement.

The gear-Wheel 7 is rigidly secured to the wheel-axle 3 and arranged tomesh with the normally-loose pinion 8 on the transverse shaft 9, whichis journaled at its ends in the raised boxes or bearings 10 upon theupper surface of the electromotor-frame 6.

wardly-projecting arms 11, in the front ends of which is journaled thetransversely-arranged rock-shaft 12.

Near the ends of the transverse shaft 9 are loosely mounted the collarsor sleeves 13, having the lugs or flanges 14 on their under sides,through which pass the screw-threaded and nutted inner ends 14 of theangularly-shaped and forwardly-extending arms 15, which are flared orforked, as at 15, at their front ends and provided upon their uppersides, about midway of their length, with the transverse bar 16, havingthe forwardly-curved ends l7. These parts constitute the main portionsof the pivoted supporting-frame; but it is further provided with thebrushes 18, their short To the front end of the car-supporting frame 4are bolted or otherwise suitably secured the forshafts 18', and thefollowing additional devices which support said brushes and shafts anddirectly impart thereto the rotary motion which is transmitted from thewheelaxle 3 through the connections hereinafter described: Upon theflared or forked front ends of the arms of this pivoted supporting-frameare secured the correspondinglyshaped bearing-plates 19, to which areattached the adjustable journal-boxes and and 22; also, theforwardly-curved ends 17 of the transverse bar 16 are provided with thejournal-boxes 21, which may or may not be adjustable. Theobliquely-arranged shafts 18 of the brushes are journaled at their outerends in the boxes 21 and at their inner ends in the adjustable boxes 20.In the adjustable journal-boxes 22 the transverse shaft 23 is mountedand provided at its ends with the bevel-gears 24, which mesh with thecorresponding gears 25 on the inner ends of said brush-shafts. Theobject of making these boxes adjustable is to secure the necessaryarrangement of said transverse shaft and brush-shafts for effectingproper engagement between said bevel-gears. The brushes'lS are revolvedin a direction opposite to that of the car-wheels 2 and receive 'theirmotion from these bevel-gears, their shafts, and the sprocket-wheel 26on the transverse shaft- 23,which is operated by the belt or chain 27,the sprocketwheel 28 on the transverse'shaft- 9,the pinion 8, and thegear-wheel 7 on the Wheel-axle 3. These brushes arecylindrical in shapeand are preferably formed of wire, so that they will last longer thanordinary bristle brushes; also, they and their shafts 13 are mounted atthe sides of the front portion of their pivoted supportingframe andarranged diagonally or obliquely thereon, so as to deliver allobstructions outside and clear of the track-rails.

For lowering and raising the pivoted supporting-frame and the parts withwhich it is provided the following mechanism is employed: In the frontends of the forwardlyprojecting arms 11 of thecar-supporting frame 4 isjournaled the rock-shaft 12, as above stated. From the lower side ofthis shaft near its ends project the short arms 29, to the lower ends ofwhich are pivoted the upper ends of the vertical rods 30, which passdown through and are firmly secured at their lower ends to the flared orforked bearing-plates 19 and the correspondingly-shaped front ends ofthe forwardly extending and pivoted arms 15. From the upper side of thisrock-shaft near its left end projects. the arm 31, which is pivoted atits upper end to the slightly-inclined rod 32, which extends forwardlyand is pivoted at its front end to the rear or inner arm of the.vertical bell-crank lever 33, which is attached by a lug 33' to theunder side of the platform of the car, as shown in Fig. 2. The front orouter arm of this bell-crank lever is pivotally connected to the lowerend of the vertically-arranged treadle bar 34, which projects up throughthe opening 35 in the platform 5 and is formed with a ratcheted ortoothed edge for engaging the fixed pawl or stop 36. These two partswhen engaged serve,together with the intermediate connections justdescribed, to hold the brushes raised or above the rails; also, whendisengaged they permit said brushes to descend upon the rails by theirown gravity and that of their pivoted supporting-frame.

Owing to the descent of the brushes and the supporting-frame by theirown weight, they will turn the rock-shaf t 12 forwardly by means ;of theshort arms 29 and the rods 30, and thus cause the short arm 37 on theupper side of said shaft to be also moved in the same direction, andthus draw or pull with it the rod 38, which is pivotally connected to atits lower end to the clutch 42 on the transverse shaft 9. This clutch ismovable end- 1 wise or laterally upon said shaft by an ordinaryspline-and-groove connection and is 1 formed with a ratchet-toothedinner surface for engaging a corresponding surface formed 9 on thenormally-loose pinion 8 and for positively revolving the same and saidshaft pe- =1riodically or when the brushes are in their loweredposition. ;is directly effected by the movement of the rod 40 and thevertical lever 41,the latter being fulcrtrmed upon the pin 43, whichpasses through the same and the. loose collar or The shifting of thisclutch 1 sleeve 44, which is formed upon the upper end 1 of the verticalbracket 45., which is secured at 5 its lower end to the motor-frame 6,as shown in Fig.4 These devices hold said vertical leverin place andstill permit it to move the clutch 42 into and out of engagement withjthe pinion 8. When this clutch and pinion are thrown into engagementthrough the connections just described, they are positively 5 revolvedby the gear-wheel 7 simultaneously with the descent of the brushes uponthe rails land also are the intermediate source from which theirrevolution is effected. WVhen the ver 41 to disengage the clutch 42 fromthe pinion 8, which results in stopping the mof tion of the shaft 9, thesprocket-wheels 26 and 28, the chain 27, the shaft 23, and thebevelgears 24 and 25 and in discontinuing the revolution of the brushes.

During the time IIO this result is being effected, or while therockshaft 12 is being turned rearwardly, the short arms 29 011 the lowerside thereof and the vertical rods 30 will raise the pivotedsupporting-frame and the parts with which it is provided, after whichthese parts can be held in their inoperative position by engaging thevertical toothed treadle-bar 34 with the fixed pawl or stop 36.

WVhile I have shown and described my improved rail-cleaning attachmentas applied to only one end of a car, it is obvious that it is capable ofduplication and employment at both ends thereof. In this latter event,however, when the car is moving in one direction the attachment at therearend thereof should ordinarily be raised and the brushes held out ofcontact with the rails; but, if found necessary, both attachments couldbe in operation simultaneously. In either event, or whichever way thecar travels, the brushes should, as above stated, he revolved in adirection opposite to that of the wheels of the car.

Having thus fully described the construe tion and arrangement orcombination of the several parts and features of my invention, itsadvantages and operation, what I claim as new is- 1. In a rail-cleaningattachment for cars, the combination, with a pivoted supportingframeprovided with obliquely arranged brushes and shafts located at the sidesof its front portion, with journal-boxes for both ends of said shafts,and with gears secured to their inner ends, of means for simultaneouslylowering said supporting-frame and revolving said shafts and brushes,substantially as described.

.2. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted supporting frame provided with obliquely arranged brushes andshafts located at the sides of its front portion, with journal-boxes forboth ends of said shafts, with bevel-gears secured to their inner ends,and with a transverse shaft having at its ends corresponding andintermeshingbevel-gears, of means for simultaneously lowering saidsupportingframe and revolving, said brushes and shafts, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted supportingframe provided with singularly-shaped andforwardly-extending arms, with a bar arranged transversely and near themiddle of said arms, with obliquely-arranged brushes and shafts locatedat the sides of its front portion, with journal-boxes for both ends ofsaid shafts, and with gears secured to their inner ends, of means forsimultaneously lowering said supporting-frame and revolving said shaftsand brushes, substantially as described.

4. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, withapivoted supporting frame provided with angularly-shaped and forwardly-extending arms, with a bar arranged transversely andnear the middle ofsaid arms, with atransverse shaft journaled upon the front ends of saidarms and having gears at its ends, and with obliquely arranged brushesand shafts located at the sides of its front portion, with journal boxesfor both ends of said shafts, and with gears secured to their innerends, of means forsimultaneously lowering said supporting-frame andrevolving said shafts and brushes, substantially as described.

5. In a rail-cleanin g attachment for cars, the

; combination, with a pivoted supporting-frame provided withangularly-shaped and forwardly-extending arms having forked outer ends,

with correspondingly-shaped bearing-plates secured to said forked ends,with the adjustable journal-boxes secured to said forked ends, andplates With obliquely-arranged brushes and shafts located at the sidesof its front portion, with journal-boxes for both ends of .ends, andwith obliquely-arranged brushes and shafts, the latter being adjustablyjournaled and having bevel-gears at their inner ends, of means forsimultaneously lowering said pivoted sup'portingframe and revolving saidshafts and brushes, substantially as described.

7. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, thecombination,withapivotedsupporting-frame provided withforwardlyextending arms and with revoluble and obliquely-arrangedbrushes and shafts at the sides of its front portion, of means forlowering and raisingsaid pivoted supporting-frame, its shafts andbrushes, said means including a rock-shaft provided with short arms onits lower side near. its ends, and the vertical rods which are pivotedat their upper ends to said short arms and secured at their lower endsto the front ends of said forwardly-extending arms, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted supporting-frame provided with forwardlyextending arms and withrevoluble and obliquely-arranged brushes and shafts at the sides of itsfront portion, of means for lowering and raising said pivotedsupporting-frame, its shafts and brushes, said means including arock-shaft provided with short arms on its lower" side IIO near itsends, the vertical rods, and connections for operating said rock-shaftfrom the platform of a car, substantially as described.

9. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted. supportingframe provided with forwardly extending arms and withrevoluble and obliquely-arranged brushes and shafts at the sides of itsfront portion, of means for lowering and raising said pivotedsupporting-frame, its shafts and brushes, said means including arockshaft provided with short arms on its lower side near its ends, thevertical rods, and connections for operating said rock-shaft from theplatform of a car, consisting of a short arm on the upper side of saidrock-shaft, a slightly-inclined rod pivoted at its rear end to said arm,a vertically-arranged bell-crank lever pivoted to the front end of saidrod, and a vertical treadle-bar pivoted at its lower end to said leverand projected up through an opening formed in said platform,substantially as described.

10. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars,

the combination, with a pivoted supportingframe provided withforwardly-extending arms and with revoluble and obliquely-arrangedbrushes and shafts at the sides of its front portion, of means forlowering and raising said pivoted supporting-frame, its shafts andbrushes, said means including a rockshaft provided with short arms onits lower side near its ends, the vertical rods, and connections foroperating said rock-shaft from the platform of a car, consisting of ashort arm 011 the upper side of said rock shaft, a slightly-inclined rodpivoted at its rear end to said arm, a vertically-arranged bell-cranklever pivoted to the front end of said rod, a vertical treadle-barpivoted at its lower end to said lever and formed with a ratcheted ortoothed edge, and a fixed pawl or stop for engaging the same,substantially as described.

11. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars,

the combination, with a pivoted supporting- I the combination, with apivoted supporting I frame provided with obliquely-arranged revolubleand adjustable brushes and shafts and frame provided with obliquelyarranged brushes and shafts located at the sides of its front portion,with journal-boxes for both ends of said shafts, and with gears at theinner ends thereof, and mechanism for lowering and raising saidsupporting-frame and the parts mounted thereon, of a geared wheelaxleand connections intermediate of the same and said brushes and shaft forstarting and stopping the rotation thereof simultaneously with thelowering and raising of said supporting-frame, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted supportingframe provided with brushes and shafts, the latterhaving bevel-gears at theirinner ends, and with a transverse shafthaving correspondin g gears meshing therewith, and mechanism forlowering and raising said supporting-frame and the parts mountedthereon, of a geared wheel-axle and connections intermediate of the sameand said brushes and shafts for starting and stopping the rotationthereof simultaneously with the lowering and raising of saidsupportingframe, said connections, including a transverse shaft providedwith a normally-loose pinion a laterally-movable clutch therefor, and asprocket-wheel, a sprocket-wheel secured to said transverse shaft at thefront portion of said frame, and a belt or chain passing over saidsprocketwheels, substantially as described.

13. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars,

' the combination, with a pivoted supportingfram-e provided withobliquely-arranged, revoluble, and adjustable brushes and shafts andmechanism for lowering and raising the same, of a geared wheel-axle,connections intermediate of the same and said brushes and shafts forstarting and stopping the rotation thereof simultaneously with thelowering and raising of said supporting-frame, and devices for throwingsaid connections into and outof operative relation from the platform ofthe car, substantially as described.

14. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted supportingframe provided with obliquely-arranged, revoluble, andadjustable brushes and shafts and mechanism for lowering and raising thesame, of a geared wheel-axle, connections intermediate of the same andsaid brushes and shafts for starting and stopping the rotation thereofsimultaneously with the lowering and raising of said supporting-frame,and devices for throwing said connections into and out of operativerelation from the platform of the car, said devices including atransverse shaft provided with a normally-loose pinion, alaterally-movable clutch therefor, a vertical lever attached at itslower end to said clutch,

and means connected with the upper end of said lever for moving saidclutch into and out of engagement with said pinion, substantially asdescribed.

15. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars,

mechanism for lowering and raising the same, of a geared wheel-axle,connections intermediate of the same and said brushes and shafts forstarting and stopping the rotation thereof ally-movable clutch therefor,a vertical lever attached at its lower end to said clutch, and 1 meansconnected with the upper end of said lever for moving said clutch intoand out of engagemei'lt with said pinion, said means comprehending ashort rod, a horizontally-arranged bell-crank lever pivoted to the frontend thereof, a rock-shaft having a short arm on its upper side, and arod pivotally connected to said bell-crank lever and arm, substantiallyas described.

16. In a rail-cleaning attachment for cars, the combination, with apivoted supportingframe provided with obliquely-arranged revoluble andadjustable brushes and shafts and mechanism for lowering and raising thesame, of a geared wheel-axle, connections intermediate of the same andsaid brushes and shafts for starting and stopping the rotation thereofsimultaneously with the lowering and raising of said supporting -frame,and devices for throwing said connections into and out of operativerelation from the platform of the car, said devices including atransverse shaft provided with a normally-loose pinion, alaterally-movable clutch therefor, a vertical lever attached at itslower end to said clutch, and means connected with the upper end of saidlever for moving said clutch into and out of engagement with saidpinion, said means comprehending a short rod, a horizontallyarrangedbell-crank lever pivoted to the front end thereof a rock-shaft having ashort arm on its upper side, a rod pivotally connected to saidbell-crank lever and arm, another short arm on the upper side of saidrockshaft, an inclined rod pivoted at its rear end thereto, avertically-arranged bell-crank lever pivoted to the front end of saidrod, a vertical treadle-bar pivoted at its lower end to said lever andformed with a ratchet or toothed edge, and a fixed pawl or stop forengaging the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PALMER WARDMAN.

W'itnesses:

FRANK A. FERGUSON, O. M. VIRETON.

